Written In Blood
by Regas 27
Summary: When an undercover mission in an anti-shinobi village goes awry, Konoha sends in their last resort to help. Kakashi and Sakura find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place it's either abandon the mission or stay and finish the job they started.


Written In Blood-

A/N: This has been plaguing me for _MONTHS._ It wouldn't leave me alone until I had it started, so here it is, the first installment of Written In Blood. I wouldn't expect frequent updates, but this is one I intend to finish.

-prologue-

"Karasu, Boss wants to know if you're going to be working late again."

Karasu picked his head up from the magazine article on Gay Rights in front of him and looked across the way at the hefty man, Tisho, sitting at his sister-desk, "I suppose not, why? What did he say?" He said his voice calm and smooth hiding the aggravation and annoyance he knew was lacing his system from the blubbering man who was supposed to be his partner. Civilians used the word far too casually Karasu thought.

He didn't like Boss. He, _She_, was more man than woman. His shinobi background taught him to spot small things like that, and while it was deliberate that _she_ be a he, Boss still scared the hell out of him, and ground his nerves like a ten ton weight being dragged across his body.

Karasu didn't like Tisho Minshoji either. He was just fat, lazy and stupid. His articles made no sense. He wrote like he was three. Just pathetic! He was an insult to real journalists. Why Boss kept him around, Karasu often found himself wondering. Tisho wasn't a help to anyone, not Boss, not himself, not anyone.

Tisho grinned his toothy smile and Karasu nearly cringed, "He wants to see you when you're done. Maybe he'll fire you and give me your job."

"Or maybe he's telling me that I get to set your buck-toothed ass on fire, and push you out the window."

Tisho's smile disappeared. "You're sick."

"And you're overweight and disgusting." Karasu smiled curtly and went back to his article.

Some kid in Suna had convinced Kazekage Gaara to pass a new law on Gay Rights, and a rival paper had beaten him to the story. Boss wasn't going to be a happy camper when she found out. Even the city of Tento with its anti-shinobi beliefs and people didn't like to miss out on an article of such grandeur.

Karasu picked his head back up when Boss came out himself, _herself_, to announce article information, publishing and cancellations.

"Tento Times has a strong reputation to keep, does it not?" He said with practiced authority, "There for, the front page article for this week's World News edition has to go to Rakka Karasu's article on Suna's lack of appropriate ranking shinobi. Another job well done, Karasu-san." Boss congratulated with a feigned smile on his, _her_, face as he, _she_, held up the test print of the night's edition of Tento Times Newspaper.

She wasn't impressed; and that stupid smile. She could be pretty, Karasu thought, if she didn't wear a wig, bind her breasts and speak in the lowest natural tone she could reach. Sure, she came across as a bitch and dressed like a guy, but Karasu figured he could see past that in the long run.

Karasu nodded as a few said well done and the others looked down upon him disapprovingly, shunning his work yet again out of jealous rage. He was used to it by now, after nearly two and a half years, he'd traveled his way from the mailroom to the printing press to journalist in a matter of months.

He paid no attention as Boss continued to talk and give out information on other topics articles, and written documentaries. Karasu was more interested as to why Boss wanted to see him when he was done than anything else.

She didn't care for him, infact, despised him or so he assumed. He was cocky and a tease, but he knew most of all she was intimidated by his masculinity. He was tall, had a square jaw, and was built like an athlete. He was good looking and he knew it, and he knew she was a woman. Women had needs and he'd tried to woo her, more than once.

He smiled, "Hey, Tisho, could you do me a favor and tell Boss I'm busy tonight?"

The fat mans head lolled, "Why would I do you a favor?"

"I'll give you my article for next week's World News edition?"

"Done, and done. See you tomorrow."

Karasu nodded and got up from his desk, taking his laptop with him. He needed to get out of the office and get some air or something. It wasn't in his nature to stay cooped in an office for hours on end, though after almost three years he figured he'd be settled into the routine.

He needed a drink. Or something that'd put him out for a bit, so that he might get a good nights sleep.

Maybe that's what he needed, he decided, was to go out and get shitfaced. It'd been a while since he'd let himself kick back and relax a little, and he could easily get his article for next week. He had people in high and low places; people he could trust with his life, and people he could trust to get that job done.

He glanced across the street to one of the many bars he lived near and despite his aching desire to go out and drink, he decided against it. Letting his guard down could be dangerous. For now, he'd have to settle with what little beer was in his fridge. He sighed after reaching the top floor of his building and opened the door to his small apartment, tossing his computer onto the small mattress he slept on in the corner of his loft.

He eyed the small duffle-mission bag next to his door, a smirk nearly tugging on his lips. Thunder rolled outside as it started to rain harder and he ran his hands over his face and sighed, maybe a beer or two wouldn't hurt him, besides it wasn't as if he had anything better to do. Who ever had left the bag at his door was hiding and hiding well, he couldn't sense them.

He slowly made his way across his room to his mini-fridge and pulled out a bottle of Konoha ale. He opened his drink and sipped at the liquid, pressing the mouth of the bottle to his lips.

"Lets see…" he said, speaking to himself, "An interesting topic for the sport column…"

He had nothing. He sighed and nursed at his bottle as he went to his window and stared over the city that reminded him nothing of his home. Tento was known as the city of lights, but with all the lights on and the rain clouds that blanketed the sky, he couldn't see the stars that usually twinkled so brightly. He couldn't look at the constellations he'd learned from his sensei so long ago, the constellations he'd taught to his own students.

He scratched at his head and glanced towards his bed. A nap sounded nice, but he had tomorrow's articles to work on. He needed to finish his sports editorial, but he wasn't in the mood for sitting in front of the computer.

He moved to his kitchenette and picked his phone up from the wall, hitting his speed-dial number for the pizza place across the street. When he placed his order and hung up the phone, he moved to his table and set his beer atop it, the hair on the back of his neck raising.

"You want a drink?" He asked solemnly taking a seat. The room was silent for a moment and then behind him he could here her moving towards him. He could feel her eyes on his back.

"A drink sounds nice." She told him quietly, taking the seat next to his. "How've you been Kakashi?"

He looked at her with a smile. Her pink hair was pulled up into a high pony-tail, her flak vest was unzipped and hung casually on her shoulders overtop a maroon sleeveless turtle neck. Her black mission sweats were cut right below the knee and secured with leg bindings and average shinobi mission sandals. She looked like a well weathered Jounin.

"I've been alright, how about you?" He asked getting up from his chair to get her a beer. He glanced back at her as she kicked her feet up on top of his table.

She shrugged, "Same. Tired as all hell." She laced her fingers behind her head and closed her eyes. "It's been awhile."

He hummed in agreement and scuffled back to the table and handed her the cold bottle. "It's been too damn long, Sakura." He sighed, "What brings you all the way out here?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Tsunade sent me after your last update. She feels that drawing some of the attention off of you might help the mission along. Did you talk to your boss today?"

Kakashi tipped his chin up and rubbed it, "Uh, no. I wasn't in the mood."

"Oh, well. I start tomorrow."

"In the mailroom?" He asked finishing off his ale.

She smiled and shook her head, "Nah, co-writer for the sports column. I was a coach to a female rugby team a few years back, the name is Renga Koari."

Kakashi smiled and held his hand out, "Nice to meet you Koari-chan. I'm Karasu. Seems you'll be assisting me with my column?"

"It does seem to be that way, no?" Sakura yawned and rubbed at her tired eyes, "Do you mind if I crash here until I find a place of my own?"

He shook his head, "Bed or couch, your choice. How're Naruto and Sai?"

She stood and stretched her arms abover her head, "They're good. They miss you. Three years is a long time."

"That's for sure."

She only hummed and moved to his bed. She flopped onto his mattress, laying face-down on his pillows. She turned her head and looked at him sitting at the table. "I missed you, Kakashi. A lot."

He didn't look up to acknowledge her words; he simply sighed and watched his hand as he thrummed his fingers on the table. "I missed you too."

##

Sakura woke with a start as thunder rumbled outside, ove the city. She laid still for a few moments listening as the rain beat on the bay window of Kakashi's studio apartment.

She turned her head, and wasn't surprised to find Kakashi, seemingly sound asleep, curled at her side with his chi upon her shoulder. She smiled weakly as she studied his face in the dark.

If someone were to ask her his agge, she'd lie to put-off the argument of disbelief. He looked no where near is ripe age of fourty-three, save for the smile lines that were newly forming at the corners of his mouth. She picked up the hand opposite the side he was on and stroked her fingers through his hair a few times. Slowly, her fingers stroked over his cheek. She lightly let her thumb smooth over his soft lips, admiring his shadowed features. He wasn't devilishly handsome, nor was he bordering unappealing. He held a 'soft-but-rugged' air about him. He had a sharp, square jaw but smooth skin only marred by the scarr crossing over his left eye.

She figured he was probably awake by now, laying with his eyes closed. He wasn't a heavy sleeper.

Sakura sighed and moved her head so it rested lightly against his, her fingers stroking thought his hair again.

"Does it always rain this much?" She asked softly.

It was silent for a few moments, all except for the light tat-tat against the windows. She almost thought he'd gone back to sleep until he used his arm to shift himself a little higher up on the pillows. He pressed his nose to the crook of her neck and he sighed.

"Yeah." He answered her with a weak tone. "Sakura..." His hand caught her wrist as she moved her hand against and he held it there above her chest.

She opened her eyes again and met his, "Hmm?"

He pressed his lips to the warm skin of her cheek, "I missed you so much."

Sakura turned her head, her nose bumping against his. "I know." She brushed her lips against his.

He twined his fingers with hers as she pushed against him and rolled him over onto his back as she straddled his hips.

"It's been so long, " She whispered against his ear, "So damned long. Too damned long." She pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses along his jaw.

"Too fucking long." He muttered as she loved on his neck.

Sakura sat up and tugged her turtleneck over her head, tossing it halphazardly to the side of the bed as her lips met Kakashi's. She missed this.

She missed being in his arms. She missed being his. She missed hiding their secret rendevous, the thrill of almost being caught. She missed the way he'd used to thell her that she was someone hee needed more than anything. She missed when he'd say taht Sakura Haruno was his alone.

"I missed you, Sakura." he told her, "I missed you so damn much."

~xxx~

TBC


End file.
